CMOS image sensor (CIS) products have met wide spread acceptance in a host of applications from cameras to smart phones. One advantageous feature of CIS products is that the devices can be manufactured inexpensively and to small scales by integrating the manufacturing steps for the CIS with mature CMOS manufacturing processes. A sensor array, core logic, and input/output (I/O) devices can be manufactured as a single integrated circuit using well known CMOS processes. The integration of sensor arrays and core logic devices in a single integrated circuit can nonetheless give rise to manufacturing obstacles that can impact yield, cost, and reliability. Hence, improved manufacturing processes and resulting structures are needed.